Danforth bike lanes are coming… now. Let’s make them permanent.
See the Greektown blue painted buffer on Danforth Avenue with parking to the left and the bike lane to the right. Physical separation will be installed on top of the buffer.
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Construction on Danforth has begun
Danforth Avenue has been a major campaign of ours for years. We spent our days, nights and weekends working with many people advocating for cycling on the Danforth. We collected nearly 7,000 signatures to show the City there’s strong support for bike lanes on Danforth.
Early this year, we were on the cusp of a small victory with talks to pilot a short stretch of bike lanes on Danforth this summer and then the pandemic shut down Toronto. Many thought the dream of a Danforth bike lane in 2020 was shattered, but our team did not back down. We persevered with our partners and out of the pandemic came a new plan: connect the entire 6 km from Broadview Avenue to Dawes Road this summer as part of ActiveTO. The community told us what they wanted and we helped get it; Danforth bike lanes are being built right now.
This week, construction started on Danforth, but be prepared for it to take a little while. Unlike the other ActiveTO projects, the Destination Danforth pilot is a complete redesign of the street, albeit with quick-build materials. Based on the Danforth Study and multiple rounds of community consultation, Danforth will soon have on-street patios, parklets, maintain parking / loading zones, planters, art, and protected bike lanes.
What will Danforth look like?
Upon completion, Destination Danforth may set the new standard for a complete street in Toronto. It will turn a wide thoroughfare into a space that is accessible to people of all ages and abilities, where they can choose which form of transportation is best for them. It could be a model for how we look at and adapt to change in Toronto moving forward, not just for mobility, but economic recovery from the pandemic as well.
In the rendering above you’ll see people safely separated into different spaces depending on their needs. Since this rendering was produced, the designs have been updated as it is an ongoing process and here is what we currently expect:
- People on bikes get a wide bike lane with curb and bollard separation to make travel safer.
- Businesses have the opportunity to open patios surrounded by flower planters.
- People walking continue to have a safe clearway next to storefronts.
- Delivery and commercial vehicles are able to safely and conveniently perform curbside activities.
- Drivers continue to be able to drive and park on or near the Danforth.
We’ve worked hard to ensure that Danforth can have it all, and soon it will.
The buffer colour is green in the Broadview Danforth BIA.
How long will construction take?
Construction of Destination Danforth is going to be taking place 24/7 in three stages:
- Broadview to Jones: July 13 to 21
- Jones to Woodbine: July 21 to 31
- Woodbine to Dawes: August 4 to 10
This timeline is dependent on weather and material supply. The City is aiming for all flower planters to be in place by July 30th so that businesses can set up new patios for Civic Holiday weekend.
What’s next?
We need to keep the momentum going and make sure progress doesn’t stop in a month when Danforth is installed. Here are a few of the things we’re working on in the near future:
- Destination Danforth and all other ActiveTO bike lane projects are temporary. We have about a year to convince the City Council to make them permanent.
- Building support for expansion of ActiveTO to further connect our cycling network and ensure it is equitably distributed across the city.
- TTC Subway Line 1 on Yonge Street needs an active transportation safety valve. Pandemic recovery necessitates cycling infrastructure and public transit improvements that reach beyond the core to give people equitable transportation options.
Memberships and donations helped us advocate for the initial rollout of ActiveTO, and we can’t stop here; help us make the existing ActiveTO projects, like Danforth, permanent installations, and expand them outwards into other parts of the city.
Let’s keep working towards a better Toronto,